Baby tortoises
Before release.
TriiipleThreat — CC BY-SA 3.0 · Xxchangwoo0120xx — CC BY-SA 3.0 · Kaldari — CC0
The Galápagos Islands' main scientific research centre, founded in the 1960s on the coast of Santa Cruz to study and protect the islands' unique life. It is the first stop for most travellers to understand the story of the archipelago that inspired Charles Darwin's theories. Its best-known part is the giant-tortoise breeding centre, where you see young tortoises in pens by size, raised and returned to their native islands to save species that nearly vanished, and huge adult tortoises moving slowly among the plants. There is an exhibit on «Lonesome George», the last tortoise of his kind, who became a symbol of conservation. You walk paths among cacti and trees where land iguanas bask and Darwin's famous little finches fly. Exhibits explain the evolution of animals and plants and the threat from introduced species. It is within walking distance of Puerto Ayora, best early in the morning. Foreign visitors pay the US$200 national park fee and the US$20 transit card to enter the Galápagos, per 2026 visitor guides.
Before release.
A conservation icon.
Along the paths.
Edge of Puerto Ayora town, Santa Cruz Island
Foreign visitors pay a US$200 national park fee and a US$20 transit card, usually in cash, per 2026 visitor guides.